Registration device for printed circuits

ABSTRACT

A device for producing printed electrical circuits on flexible webs in registration with perforations in the web includes a transport mechanism for moving the web in a step-wise fashion through a station where perforations are formed on the web, and a station where the circuit is formed on the web in predetermined relation to the perforations formed on the web. The perforations can be placed in the web in any desired configuration, including on either or both lateral edges, between the separate circuit patterns, and within the individual circuit patterns.

United States Patent Woolley, Jr. et al.

[451 Aug. 19, 1975 REGISTRATION DEVICE FOR PRINTED CIRCUITS Inventors: Harold Oakley Woolley, Jr.,

Hershey; Bernard Groene Ryle, Camp Hill, both of Pa.

Assignee: AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

Filed: Jan. 21, 1974 Appl. No.: 435,144

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 357,050, May 3, 1973, abandoned.

US. Cl. 355/29; 355/53; 355/96; 226/57; 226/62 Int. Cl. G03B 27/42 Field of Search 226/57, 58, 59, 62; 355/28, 29, 53,54, 86, 95, 96, 98, 102, 97

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1931 Owens ..226/57 1/1933 Debrie ..226/57 2,626,146 l/l953 Goetz et al. 226/57 2,772,325 11/1956 Gaite 226/57 X 2,824,736 2/1958 Allen 226/58 3,618,837 11/1971 Jacobsen 226/57 3,660,203 5/1972 Beck et al.... 226/58 X 3,771,871 11/1973 Rattman 355/102 Primary ExaminerSamuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Alan Mathews Attorney, Agent, or FirmRussell J. Egan, Esq.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A device for producing printed electrical circuits on flexible webs in registration with perforations in the web includes a transport mechanism for moving the web in a step-wise fashion through a station where perforations are formed on the web, and a station where the circuit is formed on the web in predetermined relation to the perforations formed on the web. The perforations can be placed in the web in any desired configuration, including on either or both lateral edges, between the separate circuit patterns, and within the individual circuit patterns.

16 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 31m 3 OF 4 PATENTEU AUG] 9191s REGISTRATION DEVICE FOR PRINTED CIRCUITS v CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation-in-part of application Scr. No. 357,050 filed May 3, 1973, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. The Field Of The Invention The present invention relates to the manufacture of printed circuits and the like and more particularly to a device for insuring precise printing or formation of a circuit on a flexible web with respect to apertures formed in the web.

2. Description Of The Prior Art In the manufacture of printed circuits it is important to have the circuit precisely printed and located on the board or web. This is particularly important where the circuit is to be printed on flexible carrier webs which are subsequently used, or inserted, in electronic equipment for innerconnection with other components or circuits of such equipment. Typically, such flexible webs are provided with perforations or sprocket holes along the edges thereof, in the manner of motion picture film, with the perforations being used, in various electronic equipment, to locate the circuit printed on the web with respect to other electrical contacts formed in the equipment. Thus, it is imperative that the contacts of the printed circuit be in exact predetermined registry with perforations in the web so that these contacts match or line up with the contacts in the equipment in which the printed circuit is placed.

In previously proposed devices for forming printed circuits on a flexible carrier web the sprocket holes are formed in the manner of cinemagraphic film and the web is sequentially transported through aprinting station wherein the conventional printing process takes place. Typically, the. film is transported or guided through the printing station by sprocket rollers or the like at a predetermined speed in synchronism with the printing process, in an attempt toprint each circuit at a predetermined location on the web with respect to the sprocket holes. However, in the formation of the sprocket holes there often is a slight error in the spacing between the adjacent perforations in the web. This error, over a long strip of web becomes cumulative and, as a result, each successive circuit printed on the web becomes increasingly misaligned with respect to, the perforations or sprocket hole to which it should be in registry. The permissible error in locating a printed circuit with respect to a given sprocket hole or web perforation is normally i S mils. Thus it is apparent that the accumulation of even a small spacing error in the perforations will ultimately create a substantial mismatch between each printed circuit and the perforation with which it is to be associated, so that the circuit will not lie within this range. As a result, many of the circuits which are printed cannot be used in the devices for which they are made.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with an aspect of the present invention a device is provided which is adapted to transport, in a step-by-step fashion, a flexible web through a station at which an electrical circuit is printed or formed on the web. The device includes a station adapted to perforate the web in any desired configuration. The transport mechanism includes a pair of associated lever arms, each of which has a plurality of pin means at its upper end for engaging sprocket holes formed in the flexible web. The lever arms are oscillated horizontally and vertically to transport the web through the device in predetermined increments. A clamping assembly is provided to operate in conjunction with the transport mechanism for clamping the flexible web in the printing station during that portion of the sequence of operation wherein the transport levers are not transporting or moving the web. The clamping assembly includes a pair of registration pins which are adapted to engage selected perforations in the web, at the printing station, and align these selected perforations with the art work or circuit to be printed on the web. More specifically, the registration pins are moved into the selected perforations in the web and thence engaged in recesses formed in predetermined locations in the printing head with respect to the circuit to be formed on the web. As a result, the circuit is always printed in exact registry, i.e., in exact spaced relation with respect to the selected perforations through which the registration pins extend.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to produce a device for insuring exact registration of a circuit being formed on a flexible web with respect to selected perforations on that web.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for maintaining registration of a circuit formed on a flexible web with perforations in the web.

Yet another object of the present invention is to produce a device for maintaining printing registration in the formation of printed circuit boards which is relatively inexpensive and durable in construction.

A further object of the present invention is to in crease the usable Work surface of the web by locating the perforations between or within the circuits being printed rather than along the lateral edges of the film.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a flexible web having a plural ity of printed circuits formed thereon in predetermined spaced locations with respect to selected perforations along both lateral edges of the web;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention for printing the circuits in exact registry with selected perforations in a web;

FIG. 7 is a plan view, similar to FIGS. 1 and 6, showing a second alternate embodiment with the perforations in the web lying within the pattern of the circuit which is being printed thereon.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A flexible web 10 is shown in FIG. 1 with a plurality of printed circuits 12 formed thereon by the apparatus of the present invention. This web may be formed of any of the conventional materials on which printed circuits can be formed, for example, the web maybe a photographic type film on which the circuit can be formed in a conventional photographic process or substrate of insulating material, such as Mylar or Kapton, which can be photoimaged.

The web 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is of the cinemagraphic type and is provided with a series of perforations 14 along each of its lateral edges 16, with the printed circuits 12 being located in predetermined spaced relationship with respect to the perforations. For example, in the printed circuit shown in FIG. 1 the circuit has contacts 18 and 20 which are located in predetermined relationship with respect to a selected perforation 22. The circuit is used in an electronic device (not shown) which has other electrical connections formed therein in predetermined locations with respect to studs, pins or the like which are to be engaged with the selected perforations 22 of the flexible printed circuit board. More specifically, these pins are located to be engaged in the selected keying perforation 22 so that when the printed circuit board is placed in the electronic device, with a registration pin thereof passing through perforation 22, the contacts 18 and 20 will be located in proper position with respect to the contacts in the electronic device. As a result, no special wiring or adjustment is requiredin locating the printed circuit board with respect to these other electrical contacts.

Referring now to the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the subject apparatus 24 includes a perforation station 26, a printing station 28, and a transport mechanism 30. typically, the web 10 is supplied to the first station 26 from a roll or the like (not shown) and is transported through the apparatus from left to right as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 2. If the circuit to be formed is rather narrow and the web fairly wide, than the web can be passed through a slitter to form several webs of the desired gauge feeding a parallel array of the subject apparatus. From perforating station 26, where the perforations 14 are formed in the web, the web is advanced through a printing station 28 wherein the printed circuit 12 is formed on the web. The transport mechanism 30 is provided downstream of the printing station 28 for moving the web a predetermined distance after the completion of each printing step. The web with the circuit formed thereon would then be passed to conventional equipment (not shown) for eitherrolling and storing the web or to separate the individual circuits from the'web prior to installation in associated electronic devices.

Perforating station 26 includes a head 32 fixedly mounted on a frame 34 of the apparatus in any convenient manner. This head is of conventional construction, as would be apparent to those skilled in the art,

and includes pairs of apertures 36 located on opposite edges thereof vertically above the path of travel of web 10 as it passes through the apparatus. Located immediately below head 32, and below the path of travel of the web, is a pin head 38 having two pairs of pins 40 secured thereto in vertical alignment with respect to apertures 36 in head 32. Head 38 is mounted for vertical reciprocal motion in frame 34 by conventional means, such as pins 42 on head 38 engaging in bearing bores 44 in head 32. The head 38 is driven by shaft 46 one end of which is attached to head 38 by pin 48 and the other end of which is rigidly connected to a collar 50 which surrounds an eccentric 52 fixedly mounted on a rotatable shaft 54. Eccentric 52 is rotatably mounted within collar 50 by a bearing 56 in a conventional manner. The shaft 54 is driven by motor 58 also in a conventional manner. I

Shaft 54 is driven by a motor 58 so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of eccentric 52, and as a result, vertical movement of pin head 38. Rotation of shaft 54 is maintained in synchronism with respect to the other operating mechanisms of the apparatus, as described hereinafter, through its common chain and sprocket drive 60 (shown in phantom for the sake of clarity) with such other mechanisms from motor 58. As a result, reciprocation of head 38 is timed so that perforations 14 are formed in web 10 simultaneously with the printing process occurring at station 28, and while the web is stationary, i.e., when the transport mechanism 30 is not engaged therewith. Thus, at each stroke of head 38, two perforations 14 are formed in each side of web 10, (see FIG. 4) at perforating station 26.

The web 10 is transported through the subject apparatus by the transport mechanism 30 which includes a pair of operating transport levers 62 which are respectively pivotally mounted on a drive shaft 64 extending transversely of the path of travel of web 10. This is accomplished by the provision of slots 66 in the lower ends of levers 62, through which slots the shaft '64 extends. It is noted that levers 62, although driven in synchronism as described hereinafter, are operatively and rigidly connected for simultaneous movement by a cross-brace 68 or the like.

Transport levers 62 each include upper head portions 70 from which a pair of pins 72 project in predetermined spaced locations the spacing being equal to the spacing between successive perforations 14 along the edge of the web. As a result, pins 72 are adapted to enter pairs of perforations 14 for moving the tape along its path of travel.

The heads 70 of transport levers 62 are driven in a generally D-shaped path of travel (indicated by the. dotted line in FIG. 3) by a pair of earns 74 and 76. The levers 62 are biased into engagement with both of the cams by a pair of springs 78 secured, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, between the levers and rigid portions of the frame 34, in any convenient manner. More specifically, two cams 74 are provided, each of which comprises a generally circular member rigidly mounted eccentrically on shaft 64 in position to cooperate with a roller type cam follower 80 rotatably mounted on its associated lever 62. These cams effect vertical translation of levers 62 by moving the same vertically with respect to shaft 64 within the limits of slots 66.

Cams 76, on the other hand, are each generally circular cam members eccentrically mounted adjacent opposite ends of a shaft 82. The latter is rotatably mounted in frame 34 in any convenient manner and the cams are positioned thereon to cooperate with roller type cam followers 84 respectively mounted on levers 62. These cams effect horizontal movement of heads 70 by pivoting the same about shaft 64. Cams 74 and 76 are located in predetermined relation with respect to each other and are driven synchronously by motor 58 through the chain and sprocket drive 60.

Cams 74 and 76 are positioned such that when cams 76 have rotated to a position wherein heads 70 are at their extreme left position, as illustrated by broken lines in FIG. 3, then earns 74 are in position wherein their engagement with their associated cam followers 80 has moved heads 70 into a position wherein pins 72 are moving upwardly and are about to enter a pair of perforations 14 on opposite sides of web 10. Because pins 72 are formed with inclined top surfaces, the pins can readily enter the perforations 14, even if they are misaligned therewith, and thus be guided fully into the apertures until cams 74 have raised heads 70 to their fullest extent, wherein the base of pins 72 completely fill perforations 14. As this is occurring, eccentric cams 76 are continuing to rotate so that their smaller eccentric portions move into engagement with their associated cam followers 84, permitting springs 78 to draw levers 62 towards the right in FIG. 3. As a result, web is moved to the right in the drawing and is advanced, after a printing step, as described hereinafter. Ultimately, levers 62 reach their extreme right position, illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 3 of the drawing, wherein a smaller portion of cam 76 is engaged with roller 84. At that position, pins 72 of the head are just leaving their engagement with the perforations 14, as a result of the positioning of cams 74 on shaft 64. Thus, the pins are withdrawn from the tape as heads 70 reach their rightmost position.

Continued rotation of cams 74 and 76 cause heads 70 to move downwardly to the left, and thence to begin to rise towards the dotted line position thereof shown in FIG. 3 wherein the pins are in position to engage the next pair of apertures 14. As a result, it is seen that transport mechanism is adapted to transport the web in a step-by-step fashion a distance substantially equal to the distance between alternate pairs of perforations in the tape during each step.

It is to be understood that the construction of the illustrative embodiment of the invention can be varied, to cause the web 10 to move at selected varying distances during operation of the device by properly providing appropriately sized cams. In this connection, it is contemplated that the distance the web is transported in each step will be a function of the width dimension of the printed circuit being formed on the web 10. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention the printed circuit has a width dimension equal to the distance between alternate perforations, i.e., the total width d is equal to the width of a single perforation 14 plus the length of the unperforated portions of the web on opposite sides thereof. Thus, it is only necessary in the illustrative embodiment to advance the web this distance d plus the distance f between successive circuits. Where the width of the circuit is greater than d, then heads 70 and earns 74 and 76 are modified to permit the advance of the tape along that greater distance.

In any case, during movement of heads 70 from their solid line position to their dotted line position, i.e., be tween movements of the web 10, the formation of the printed circuit on the web takes place at station 28. As mentioned, the particular process used to form the circuit on the web 10 can be any of the various known processes presently available. In particular, the photographic process may be used if desired. Typically, printing station 28 is provided with a printing head 86 which contains the master art work of the printed circuit to be formed on the web, i.e., it can be contain a copper cylinder or a photographic negative of the circuit board to be printed. The head is located directly above the path of travel of web 10 as it passes through the apparatus, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, and includes a pair of recesses 88 (only one of which is seen in the side view of FIG. 3) located directly above the perforations 14 formed along the opposite edges of the web 10.

A clamping lever 90 is located immediately below head 86 at printing station 28, with the lever being pivotally mounted in frame 34 by a pivot pin 92 or the like. The clamping lever includes a resilient clamping pad 94 which is adapted to urge the web 10 into contact with the printing head 86 during the printing process upon pivotal movement of the lever 90 in a generally clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 3, against the biasing force of springs 91. Lever 90 is pivoted in this direction by a pair of cams 96, mounted on shaft 82. Cams 96 are each generally circular members eccentrically mounted at opposite ends of shaft 82 and positioned to be engaged with roller type cam followers 98 mounted on opposite sides of levers 90. Cams 96 are also located in a predetermined position with respect to earns 74 and 76 such that the smaller eccentric portions thereof are engaged with their associated rollers 98 when levers 62 are moving between their dotted line position to their solid line position, i.e., during the transport of the web. As the levers 62 return to their dotted line position, earns 96, because of the eccentric mounting thereof on shaft 82, have their larger eccentric portions engaged with cam followers 98, thereby causing levers 90 to pivot in a clockwise direction to engage pad 94 with web 10 against printing head 86.

In order to insure precise registration of the apertures 14 with respect to the art work in printing head 86, a registration pin 100 is provided on each side of lever 90, as illustrated most clearly in FIG. 2. Pins 100 are located directly below recesses 88 in head 86 so that as lever 90 moves in a clockwise direction towards head 86, pins 100 enter the perforations 14 in web 10, directly thereabove, and thence enter the recesses 88.

It is noted that the upper end portions of pins 100 may be tapered, so that they can readily enter perforations 14 and guide the same down to the main shank portion of the pins. These shank portions of the pins have a configuration in plan corresponding to the generally configuration of the perforations in web 10. As a result, web 10 will be moved into exact mating relation with pins 100, thereby registering the perforations -with respect to the pins. As the pins enter the recesses 88 in printing head 86 (which recesses have a generally complementary configuration with respect to pins 100) the pins, and thus the perforations 14, are positioned in exact registration with respect to the art work to be printed on the web. The printing process then occurs, i.e., the photographic film negative is exposed and thus the printing circuit is formed in its exact desired location on the web with respect to the perforations 14.

As cam 96 is continuously rotating under the influence of motor 58, lever 90 ultimately moves downwardly in a counterclockwise direction, disengaging pins 100 from perforations 14. As these pins disengage perforations 14, pins 72 on levers 66 enter perforations l4 downstream of the printing station to move the web forward, to the right in FIG. 3. The process continues in this manner until the desired number of printed circuits is formed on web 10.

As a result it is seen that a relatively simple device is provided in which printed circuits are formed on a web in exact predetermined locations with respect to perforations formed in the web. The transport mechanism 30 moves the web in step-by-step fashion between printing cycles and maintains a relatively precise registration between the apertures 14 and the art work and the printing head 86 because the configuration of cams 74 and 96 is such that the web is transported a distance substantially equal to the dimensions of the art work. However, at each printing cycle pins 100 provide exact registration of the art work with respect to the adjacent perforations. Thus, extremely fine registration of the printed circuits with respect to the apertures is obtained.

The above discussed timing relation of the several cams is graphically illustrated in FIG. 5. It will be noted from this diagram that the perforation and printing steps take place while the web is momentarily stopped and that both the perforation and printing heads are moved out of control with the web prior to a further forward movement of the web.

The foregoing embodiment has been shown and described with the resulting web having a final configuration which is quite like conventional cinimagraphic film. Howeverfit is not necessary to have perforations at both lateral edges of the web. In fact, it may be preferable not to have the perforations so located since this configuration results in a substantial loss of usuable area on the web. This-loss is as high as 33.3 percent for a 16 mm wide web, 14.9 percent for a 35 mm web and 5.8% for a 70 mm web.

It is within the scope of this invention to eliminate the above mentioned waste by having transport perforations 102 and locating perforations 104 formed in the web between adjacent circuits 106, as shown in FIG. 6, or to have transport perforations 108 and locating perforations 1 10 formed in the web 10 to lie within the pattern of the circuit 112, as shown in FIG. 7. It should also be noted that these perforations need not be simple rectangular openings. They can be coded perforations of almost any geometric configuration and in almost any pattern. It should also be noted that apertures, such as 114 and 116, can be formed for cantile ver beam circuits simultaneously with the transport and locating apertures simply by adding an appropriate punch and recess in heads 32 and 38.

Although an illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for printing a predetermined pattern on a web having perforations formed therein in predetermined spaced locations, said device including:

a printing station, means at said printing station for sequentially printing said predetermined pattern on said web, spaced recesses formed in said printing means located in predetermined spaced relation to the pattern to be printed thereby, clamping means movably mounted in said device on the opposite side of said web from said printing means, means for moving said clamping means into and out of engagement with said printing means during each printing operation, said clamping means including pins extending therefrom towards said recesses in said printing means, said pins, perforations and recesses all having a complementary configuration in plan, said pins passing through perforations in said web into said recesses, as said moving means moves said clamping means into engagement with the web, whereby the perforations receiving said pins are located in alignment with said recesses and positioned in a predetermined relation with respect to the pattern being printed on the web; and

means for advancing said web through said printing station a predetermined distance between each printing operation comprising at least one advancing head movably mounted in said device downstream of said printing station in the direction of travel of the web, said advancing head having at least one tooth extending therefrom in position to. selectively engage perforations in said web, and means for moving said advancing head in a generally D-shaped path of travel wherein at an initial position said teeth engage perforations in the web after a printing operation and are moved away from the printing station for a predetermined distance at the end of which the teeth are disengaged from said perforations and the heads are returned, out of engagement with the web, toward the printing station, during the printing operation, to said initial position, whereby said web is advanced in a step-wise manner over a predetermined distance between printing operations.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said pins have free end portions which are received in said recesses, said free end portions being tapered to thereby initially guide said pins through the perforations in the web and adjust the position of the web to locate the perforations therein in alignment with the remaining portions of the pins.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said advancing means comprises a pair of spaced advancing heads movably mounted in said device downstream of said printing station in the direction of travel of the web, said advancing heads being positioned in spaced relation to each other along opposite sides of the path of travel of the web.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said clamping member is pivotally mounted in said device and said advancing heads each include lever members pivotally mounted in said device, said means for moving said clamping means and said means for moving said advancing heads comprising a plurality of rotating cams respectively operably associated with said clamping member and said levers for pivoting the same about their respective pivotal mountings.

5. The device as defined in claim 1 further including means for forming said perforations in the web, said perforation means lying upstream of said printing station in the direction of travel of said web.

6. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said printing means comprises means for forming a printed electrical circuit on said web.

7. A device for forming a predetermined pattern on a flexible web in predetermined positions with respect to spaced perforations formed in said web, said device comprising, a pattern forming station, pattern forming means at said station for sequentially forming said predetermined pattern on said web, means for advancing perforated web through said station a predetermined distance between each pattern forming operation, said pattern forming means having at least one recess formed therein located in a predetermined position with respect to the pattern to be formed thereby and in general alignment with the path of travel of the perforations on the web,

clamping means movably mounted in said device on the side of the path of travel of said web opposite said pattern forming means and means for moving said clamping means into and out of engagement with said pattern forming means during each forming operation, said clamping means including at least one pin means extending therefrom towards said pattern forming means and being aligned with said recess, said pin means being adapted to selectively engage perforations in said web and enter said recess, as said moving means moves said clamping means into engagement with the web, to thereby locate said web with respect to said recess and the predetermined pattern being formed on the web; said pin means, perforation and recess all having a complementary configuration in plan; said pin means having a free end portion which is received in said recess, said free end portion being tapered thereby initially to guide said pin means through the perforations in the web and adjust the position of the web to locate the perforations therein in alignment with the remaining portions of the pin; and including means upstream of said pattern forming station in the direction of travel of said web for forming said perforations in the web.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said pin means, said recess and said perforations are aligned with at least one lateral edge of said web.

9. A device according to claim 7 wherein said pin means, said recess and said perforations are aligned substantially transversely of said web between the individual patterns thereon.

10. A device according to claim 7 wherein said pin means, said recess and said perforations lie at least partially within each individual pattern on said flexible web.

11. A device for forming a predetermined pattern on a web having perforations formed therein in predetermined spaced locations, said device including:

a pattern forming station, means at said pattern forming station for sequentially forming said predetermined pattern on said web, said pattern forming means having a pair of spaced recesses formed therein located in predetermined spaced relation to the pattern to be formed thereby, said recesses being spaced from each other a distance equal to the distance between perforations in the web; clamping means movably mounted in said device on the opposite side of said web from said pattern forming means and means for moving said clamping means into and out of engagement with said pattern forming means during each forming operation, said clamping means including pin means extending therefrom towards said pattern forming means and being spaced from each other a distance equal to the distance between said recesses, said pin means passing through the perforations in said web into said recesses as said moving means moves said clamping means into engagement with the web, whereby the perforations receiving said pins are located in alignment with said recesses and positioned in a predetermined relation with respect to the pattern being formed on the web; said pins, perforations and recesses all having a complementary configuration in plan; said pins having free end portions which are received in said recesses, said free end portions being tapered to thereby initially guide said pins through the perforations in the web and adjust the position of the web to locate the perforations therein in alignment with the remaining portions of the pins; perforation means upstream of said pattern forming station in the direction of travel of said web for forming a spaced pattern of perforations in the web; and

advancing means downstream of said pattern forming station for advancing the perforated web through said device a predetermined distance between each printing operation.

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein said pattern forming station further includes printing means.

13. The device according to claim 11 wherein said pattern forming station further includes photoimaging means.

14. The device according to claim 11 wherein said pattern to be formed is an electrical circuit.

15. The device according to claim 11 wherein said pins, perforations and recesses have a configuration extending transversely of said web between adjacent patterns formed thereon.

16. The device according to claim 11 wherein said pins, perforations and recesses have a configuration lying at least partially within the patterns formed on said web. 

1. A device for printing a predetermined pattern on a web having perforations formed therein in predetermined spaced locations, said device including: a printing station, means at said printing station for sequentially printing said predetermined pattern on said web, spaced recesses formed in said printing means located in predetermined spaced relation to the pattern to be printed thereby, clamping means movably mounted in said device on the opposite side of said web from said printing means, means for moving said clamping means into and out of engagement with said printing means during each printing operation, said clamping means including pins extending therefrom towards said recesses in said printing means, said pins, perforations and recesses all having a complementary configuration in plan, said pins passing through perforations in said web into said recesses, as said moving means moves said clamping means into engagement with the web, whereby the perforations receiving said pins are located in alignment with said recesses and positioned in a predetermined relation with respect to the pattern being printed on the web; and means for advancing said web through said printing station a predetermined distance between each printing operation comprising at least one advancing head movably mounted in said device downstream of said printing station in the direction of travel of the web, said advancing head having at least one tooth extending therefrom in position to selectively engage perforations in said web, and means for moving said advancing head in a generally D-shaped path of travel wherein at an initial position said teeth engage perforations in the web after a printing operation and are moved away from the printing station for a predetermined distance at the end of which the teeth are disengaged from said perforations and the heads are returned, out of engagement with the web, toward the printing station, during the printing operation, to said initial position, whereby said web is advanced in a step-wise manner over a predetermined distance between printing operations.
 2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said pins have free end portions which are received in said recesses, said free end portions being tapered to thereby initially guide said pins through the perforations in the web and adjust the position of the web to locate the perforations therein in alignment with the remaining portions of the pins.
 3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said advancing means comprises a pair of spaced advancing heads movably mounted in said device downstream of said printing station in the direction of travel of the web, said advancing heads being positioned in spaced relation to each other along opposite sides of the path of travel of the web.
 4. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said clamPing member is pivotally mounted in said device and said advancing heads each include lever members pivotally mounted in said device, said means for moving said clamping means and said means for moving said advancing heads comprising a plurality of rotating cams respectively operably associated with said clamping member and said levers for pivoting the same about their respective pivotal mountings.
 5. The device as defined in claim 1 further including means for forming said perforations in the web, said perforation means lying upstream of said printing station in the direction of travel of said web.
 6. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said printing means comprises means for forming a printed electrical circuit on said web.
 7. A device for forming a predetermined pattern on a flexible web in predetermined positions with respect to spaced perforations formed in said web, said device comprising, a pattern forming station, pattern forming means at said station for sequentially forming said predetermined pattern on said web, means for advancing perforated web through said station a predetermined distance between each pattern forming operation, said pattern forming means having at least one recess formed therein located in a predetermined position with respect to the pattern to be formed thereby and in general alignment with the path of travel of the perforations on the web, clamping means movably mounted in said device on the side of the path of travel of said web opposite said pattern forming means and means for moving said clamping means into and out of engagement with said pattern forming means during each forming operation, said clamping means including at least one pin means extending therefrom towards said pattern forming means and being aligned with said recess, said pin means being adapted to selectively engage perforations in said web and enter said recess, as said moving means moves said clamping means into engagement with the web, to thereby locate said web with respect to said recess and the predetermined pattern being formed on the web; said pin means, perforation and recess all having a complementary configuration in plan; said pin means having a free end portion which is received in said recess, said free end portion being tapered thereby initially to guide said pin means through the perforations in the web and adjust the position of the web to locate the perforations therein in alignment with the remaining portions of the pin; and including means upstream of said pattern forming station in the direction of travel of said web for forming said perforations in the web.
 8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said pin means, said recess and said perforations are aligned with at least one lateral edge of said web.
 9. A device according to claim 7 wherein said pin means, said recess and said perforations are aligned substantially transversely of said web between the individual patterns thereon.
 10. A device according to claim 7 wherein said pin means, said recess and said perforations lie at least partially within each individual pattern on said flexible web.
 11. A device for forming a predetermined pattern on a web having perforations formed therein in predetermined spaced locations, said device including: a pattern forming station, means at said pattern forming station for sequentially forming said predetermined pattern on said web, said pattern forming means having a pair of spaced recesses formed therein located in predetermined spaced relation to the pattern to be formed thereby, said recesses being spaced from each other a distance equal to the distance between perforations in the web; clamping means movably mounted in said device on the opposite side of said web from said pattern forming means and means for moving said clamping means into and out of engagement with said pattern forming means during each forming operation, said clamping means including pin means extending therefrom towards said pattern forming means and beinG spaced from each other a distance equal to the distance between said recesses, said pin means passing through the perforations in said web into said recesses as said moving means moves said clamping means into engagement with the web, whereby the perforations receiving said pins are located in alignment with said recesses and positioned in a predetermined relation with respect to the pattern being formed on the web; said pins, perforations and recesses all having a complementary configuration in plan; said pins having free end portions which are received in said recesses, said free end portions being tapered to thereby initially guide said pins through the perforations in the web and adjust the position of the web to locate the perforations therein in alignment with the remaining portions of the pins; perforation means upstream of said pattern forming station in the direction of travel of said web for forming a spaced pattern of perforations in the web; and advancing means downstream of said pattern forming station for advancing the perforated web through said device a predetermined distance between each printing operation.
 12. The device according to claim 11 wherein said pattern forming station further includes printing means.
 13. The device according to claim 11 wherein said pattern forming station further includes photoimaging means.
 14. The device according to claim 11 wherein said pattern to be formed is an electrical circuit.
 15. The device according to claim 11 wherein said pins, perforations and recesses have a configuration extending transversely of said web between adjacent patterns formed thereon.
 16. The device according to claim 11 wherein said pins, perforations and recesses have a configuration lying at least partially within the patterns formed on said web. 